Chapter 7

The sun was shining on my face, that is what woke me up. Where am I? Am I not in my hotel room? Lifting my head off the pillow, I feel my head is going to explode. Raising my hand to check the time, it was after ten in the morning. “I never sleep this late,” I said to myself. Managing to sit on the side of the bed, I turned to see on the wall a picture of my father with Melissa. I knew then that I was at Melissa’s house. On a chair sitting in the corner of the room were some clothes, sitting on top of them a pair of sneakers. Recognising the items, I smiled to myself. It was a set of clothing from the many I bought yesterday when I went shopping with my sister.

Opposite the bed were two doors, identic al to each other. Staggering off the bed, holding my head. Promising myself not to drink so much again. Opening the door nearest to the bed, it was an en-suite bathroom. Jumping into the shower, I let the water run over my body, feeling the pleasant sensation.

Dressed up in my new clothes, I looked at myself in the full body mirror. I appear at least two sizes smaller in my skin-tight jeans and white T-Shirt, compared to the Army Surplus I was used to wearing. I mumble to myself. “Not bad Jason, not bad at all.”

Downstairs at the end of the hall, I could hear female voices and plates clustering on a table surface, which I assumed was the kitchen. Entering the room, Melissa and Jennifer were preparing the kitchen table, while Lillian was cooking something on the stove. Not seeing me enter the room I call out.

“Good morning ladies!”

All three turned towards the sound of my voice. They automatically speak together, “Good morning.” Lillian studied me for a few seconds, then went back to what she was doing. I am sure I saw a glimpse of a smile on her face.

Jennifer commented, “Any clothing you own, that belongs to the army is going to the red cross tomorrow morning.”

Melissa was coming closer, studying me from head to toe. Her remark was. “If only I were thirty years younger.” Feeling my six-pack over my t-shirt, causing me to go red of embarrassment. That’s when she and Jennifer started laughing.

“What do you think Lillian?” Jennifer called out, staring at me and smiling.

“He’s OK I suppose,” not looking up from what she was doing. Her eyes focused in the frying pan.

“What? you don’t think, I have a hot brother?”

Lillian turned giving us a quick smile, then went back to her cooking. Jennifer is giving me the thumbs up, while Melissa is trying to figure out what’s going on.

“You are usually up at the crack of dawn, what happened to you today? Melissa asked.

“Well, last night we went out for a meal. Then we...” I started to mutter my words.

That’s when Jennifer took over the conversation, “We went to Tony’s restaurant, I wanted to introduce Jason to Anthony’s family. That is when Lawrence Sparks decided to dine there as well. Anthony as we all know with his dislike of Lawrence, they had a clash of words. In which later on, his goons attacked Anthony in the lavatory. If it wasn’t for Jason, God knows what they would have done to him. After everything calmed down, and Lawrence left, Tony in appreciation got out the Sambuca. Dragging Jason to a table, not letting him go until the bottle was empty. The rest you know Melissa. Carrying my dear brother up the stairs and putting him to bed.”

Clapping my hands together and rubbing them, I tried to change the subject. “Will Randolph be coming around today?”

“Oh, Randolph was here since eight. He’s taken my vehicle to the car wash to clean the carpet. After my dear brother spilt out his feeling about a particular young lady.” While looking at Melissa, she was nodding towards Lillian. “When he finished his love confession, he decided to release most of his meal in my car, by being sick.”

“Oh, now I understand,” Melissa said, with a grin on her face.

When Randolph brought the car back from the car wash, he was not too happy to see me. Two petrol stations he took the car, they refused to clean it. Eventually, he cleaned my mess. It didn’t take long to get him back to his cheerful self, as I took him out in the garden to show him some defensive combat moves.

Jennifer stood there with her arms folded across her chest. “Boys will be boys.” That is when Randolph and I ran at her throwing her onto the grass as well. All three of us laughing together.

Melissa, chuckling as well, seeing us rolling on the grass like children. “It’s been such a long time since there has been laughter in this house,” Melissa laughed.

Once we finished with our rolling in the grass, we started to prepare the garden table for lunch. Randolph and I set up the table, while the ladies made the last preparation to the food. Lillian was turning the pork chops on the charcoal barbeque. Taking a plate from the table, I walked up to Lillian and held it out to her. “I brought you this to put the pork chops on?”

Not turning to look at me, she replied. “They’re not ready yet.”

“Hey, I want to apologise for what I said to you, at the park. I acted like a real jerk that day.” I waited for her reply, but she was more engrossed in preparing the BBQ. “I’ll leave the plate here. You can use it for the meat when it’s ready.”

“It was my fault. I should have told you Jennifer would be there.” With the tongs, she took one of the pork chops, inspecting the meat if it was ready. “The plate please.”

Moving the plate nearer to her, she took each piece of meat from the grill, placing them on the plate. Taking a quick glimpse of me, whenever she had the chance. Not that I was any better. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. Gazing at her long blonde hair and blue eyes which were like the ocean. “We can try again if you like? Dating that is.” Looking at her, I waited for her response. Staring at me, she went to say something when Jennifer distracted us.

“Are we going to eat or what you two.”

After enjoying a delicious barbeque, Melissa stood up. “May I have everyone’s attention please,” she said. Looking at me, then at Jennifer she continued. “I have something to confess.” Going inside, she returned with an A4 brown envelope. “Two weeks ago, I sent some samples off to a lab for some DNA tests. Before you both ask me, it was hair samples from your brush Jennifer. With you Jason, it was more difficult. Eventually, I used a glass you used. The results came back two days ago. The envelope is unopened.” Holding it up, so we could all see it. Everyone went silent until the doorbell rang.